Executive Branch
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis of the U.S. executive branch related to national security, rights, and the rule of law. Analysis and informational resources focus on the executive branch’s powers and their limits, and the actions of the president, administrative agencies, and federal officials.
4,605 Articles
After 16 Years of War, Senate Finally Debates Need for War Debate
After 15 years of no debate on the floor of the Congress since the last war authorization and 16 years of war—the longest in the nation’s history—the U.S. Senate spent 45…
Q&A with Andy Wright on Flynn, Subpoenas and “Privileged Information”
CNN reported Tuesday that retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, has twice declined to comply with a subpoena to appear…
A Dream Deferred: Rescinding DACA Makes Us Less Secure
While rescinding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, fits comfortably into the thematic vision of “America First” that resonates so well with President Donald…
Erik Prince’s ‘New Band of Flying Tigers’ is a Sequel We Don’t Need
It shouldn’t be too surprising that in his recent New York Times op-ed calling for an infusion of private contractors into Afghanistan, Erik Prince sidestepped any discussion…
Homeland Security Needs More International Engagement, Not ‘Fortress America’
When most people think of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the mind conjures images of border patrolmen on horseback along the American southwest border or Transportation…
Norms Watch: Democracy, the Trump Administration, and Reactions to It (Sept. 2 – Sept. 8)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…
We Know a Lot More About U.S. Spying Since Section 702’s Last Reauthorization
As Congress finally starts to debate whether to reauthorize Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act before it expires at the end of this year, it’s important to remember that…
South Sudan: The Crisis Continues
The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan continues to worsen with civilians growing increasingly desperate and conditions showing little sign of improvement. July saw the greatest…
Trump and Witness Tampering–Where to Draw the Line
Discussion of Donald Trump’s possible criminal wrongdoing since assuming the presidency has focused most intensely on classical obstruction of justice. Those matters involve…
Want to Fight Crime? Increase Immigration and Save DACA
President Trump’s decision to end the DACA program and send hundreds of thousands of immigrants back into the shadows is cruel. But lost in the moral argument is the fact that…
A Security Clearance Nightmare
As President, Donald Trump obviously has the right to hire and fire his top advisors as he sees fit. However, when the President indicates he may fire someone because they are…
A Second Look at the Steele Dossier
[Editor’s Note: In this special Just Security article, highly respected former member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service, John Sipher examines the Steele dossier…